By Zim GBC News | Harare Correspondent
HARARE – In a stark indicator of the city’s deepening water woes, the City of Harare has advised residents to use larger buckets for flushing toilets, warning that smaller containers are exacerbating chronic sewage blockages across the capital.
With persistent water rationing forcing many households to rely on bucket-flushing, City Water Engineer Simon Muserere explained that the size of the container is critical to preventing waste from clogging the underground pipe network.
“When you use a very small tin, it might clear your toilet, but the load remains in the pipeline. A larger bucket helps push waste through to the treatment plant,” Muserere stated.
He revealed that a significant majority of the city’s sewer problems are directly attributable to resident practices, compounded by ageing infrastructure.
“Sixty percent of sewer system problems are caused by residents, with only forty percent coming from wear and tear or structural issues,” said Muserere.
The engineer detailed that the lack of adequate water volume has disrupted the system’s “self-cleansing velocity,” a natural flow that previously carried debris to treatment plants. He noted that sand, rags, and kitchen utensils are frequently found clogging the pipes, but insufficient flushing power is a primary culprit.
Muserere emphasized that adopting this simple change could have a major impact on the city’s strained resources and finances.
“If we cut down the sixty percent caused by residents, we can focus our limited resources on fixing structural issues and avoid overstraining the city’s budget,” he urged.
The council has been forced to employ expensive high-velocity clearing machines and excavation teams to address blockages, measures described as unsustainable. Muserere made a final appeal for public cooperation, concluding:
“We need cooperation from residents. Bigger buckets make a huge difference.”
The directive has sparked mixed reactions from residents, many of whom argue the solution highlights the council’s failure to provide a consistent and reliable water supply.
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